description Percival Lowell Overview
Percival Lowell was an American astronomer, mathematician, author, and businessman who founded Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, in 1894. He used the observatory to study Mars and promoted the hypothesis that the planet contained canals, a view that influenced public discussion but was not accepted as a confirmed physical feature. He also organized a search for an additional planet, later called Planet X; Pluto was discovered at the observatory in 1930, after his death.
help Percival Lowell FAQ
Why is Percival Lowell linked to canals on Mars?
After reading Giovanni Schiaparelli’s 1877 description of Martian canali, Lowell argued that the lines might be canals built by intelligent life. He developed that theory through observations at his Arizona observatory, as [Lowell Observatory explains](https://lowell.edu/percival-lowells-search-for-life-on-mars/).
Did Lowell Observatory discover Pluto?
Lowell did not live to see Pluto: Clyde Tombaugh discovered it at Lowell Observatory in 1930, fourteen years after Lowell’s death. Lowell’s earlier search for a ninth planet, often called Planet X, helped set the observatory’s research direction, according to the [observatory’s historical timeline](https://lowell.edu/about-us/historic-timeline/).
What did Percival Lowell study at the Flagstaff observatory?
Mars was his main target, and he kept observation logs, sketches, photographs, and hand-drawn Mars globes. The work began with 18-inch and 12-inch telescopes before Lowell arranged a 24-inch refractor from Alvan Clark & Sons, as [Lowell Observatory records](https://lowell.edu/percival-lowells-search-for-life-on-mars/).
Was Percival Lowell only an astronomer?
No. He was also a mathematician, author, and businessman, and he founded Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, in 1894.
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